Letter: It takes two sides

Who is responsible for those inflated wages and benefits enjoyed by many municipal and teachers unions?

To blame only the rank and file union members is wrong. Anyone who has negotiated with unions knows very well that union bargainers will typically "ask for the moon" expecting to win some of the items in its negotiating agenda.

In the private sector, both sides are represented by skilled negotiators. Agreement will typically be achieved after the company determines that it can live with some of the union's requests, and usually has a few demands of its own. No sensible company will agree to a settlement they cannot afford to live with in the future.

I should note that those infamous auto settlements of years past eventually led to bankruptcies, proving the point.

Those handling negotiations for the government do not have to suffer the consequences of an overly generous agreement. Unlike in company/union negotiations, they can walk away by not being elected again. The public, of course, is stuck with the consequences, some of which will not become evident until years later.

Blaming only the unions is wrong. Those ridiculously expensive contracts were bargained and agreed to by representatives of the government, and they are guilty of ineptness or worse. Governmental officials now stuck with the problem have to find ways to work with the unions and find solutions — not an easy task.